Chilling out
Page 36
Page 37
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Samworth Brothers Distribution was an early adopter of MAN's EcoStyle performance reporting system. CM finds out how it is getting on.
Words: Barry Dew
During his time as CEO at MAN Truck & Bus UK, Des Evans has made turning promises of customer care into reality one of his key targets. He has committed MAN to developing support systems and services that deliver operators far more than just trucks
"In an ideal world, operators want the use of trucks, with fewer vehicle management issues," he says."They want to concentrate on their core business, so we are building a world in which they can simply put in fuel, driver and load, and increasingly leave vehicle management to us."
One example of this is MAN's EcoStyle driver and vehicle performance reporting system, which was launched in 2008. Perhaps a key to its success is that it was developed in the UK by people who understand UK operators' needs.
An early adopter is Samworth Brothers Distribution. As an established user of MAN trucks, Samworth saw EcoStyle as an opportunity that was too good to miss. Delighted with the off-the-shelf offering, the haulier looked for additional ways of using it to boost efficiency.
Sensitive products Samworth MD Nick Hay says: -Chilled foods are a sensitive product. Temperature control and on-time deliveries arc key aspects of our life. 24 hours a day. Add the recessionary pressures of the past two years and you can understand why we wanted to see what might be gained from a driver/vehicle reporting system.
-MAN is the preferred vehicle in our fleet, so it was a simple step to ask it to demonstrate what we could get from an investment in, and extension of, the technology.
'Any company that's going to survive and expand in times like these needs to grab every opportunity to deliver customers more controlled and efficient services. That was our entry point. Since then we haven't really looked back."
The Samworth fleet numbers 140 tractor units and la) temperature-controlled trailers. The company, which last year reported a turnover of £50m, has two core customer groups: internal customers in the shape of sister companies in the Samworth Brothers Group, Ciinsters for instance, all producing chilled foods; and an external group of distributors and other manufacturers of chilled foods.
"We can't afford to play favourites," says Hay. -All [customers] deserve, and get, the same dedication to
on-time, temperature-controlled collections and deliveries critical to chilled products" There are three main hubs: Callington in Cornwall (home of Ciinsters); Bristol; and Leicester. These are the focal points for inbound Samworth collections from manufacturers and the pick, pack and process consolidation service that moves them on to major supermarkets, other retailers and food service outlets. All collections and deliveries start and end their journeys with hi 24 hours.
Efficiency and economy
Why the need for new technology? It's partly because all Samworth's maintenance is done in-house. The company feels this gives it a better view of the efficiency and economy of the fleet and individual tractors "EcoStyle is invaluable for monitoring our fleet," says Hay. "The key for us is real-time information we can integrate with our maintenance programmes — the ability to track every vehicle for dips in efficiency. Tools such as remote engine diagnostics allow us to consider in advance what does and doesn't need to be done to each truck: to understand any loss of performance; and schedule appropriate work for the most appropriate time."
Samworth also worked with MAN on an additional EcoStyle element to deliver continuous assessments of fleet utilisation performance.
"This would be an outstanding tool for us in its own right," says Hay, "but allied to everything else on the vehicle side of life, it is simply a major bonus.
"We have made savings of more than 2% on fuel, excellent for a company with new Euro-5 tractors that were expected to deliver reduced fuel performance compared to their Euro-4 predecessors, "Ihen there is the 'unknown' of vehicle wear and tear, maintenance and accident damage. It is a huge budget on a fleet our size, and we see clear improvements even this early. So am I happy we made the right decision? Yes, I am. The recession has been tough, but with sensible, efficiency-focussed investments we are in shape to come out of it even better then we went in." •